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JR's Blog: Sunday Update...Eddie "Umaga" Fatu Memories...Nick Bockwinkel

Posted: Dec 7th 2009 By: CMBurnham

Hope everyone had a good weekend and/or are in the process of such.

I had two appearances at a couple of Homeland Grocery stores Saturday in support of our BBQ Sauces and Chipolte Ketchup along with our Beef Jerky. We are doing a 4 store test with Homeland and our products are only available in the four Norman stores at this time. I will be at the Main Street and at the Lindsey Street Homeland's next Saturday.

The sudden passing of Eddie "Umaga" Fatu certainly put a damper on the weekend as Eddie's death on Friday came as a total shock to me. Eddie had moved his family to Houston a while back as many WWE performers now base out of the Houston area and some of them actually are neighbors. Nonetheless, when I think of Eddie I think of the many, many conversations that we had over the years and how they usually ended up with Eddie talking about his wife and children. I recall discussing with Eddie that one of his sons, who has the potential to be a special football player, was already on Oklahoma's radar and I think at the time the young man was only in the 9th or 10th grade. OU coaches were recruiting an upper classman at the same school that Eddie's son attended but coaches told the OU folks, " just wait until you see this really young kid we have. His Dad's a wrestler and this kid is special." Eddie was elated to know that his son had already distinguished himself on the gridiron and we talked of Eddie sending his son to the OU Summer Football Camp. Eddie Fatu was very proud of his children and loved his wife tremendously and Eddie was proud of the home that he was able to create for them in Houston. "Umaga" may have been a "Samoan Savage" or "Samoan Bulldozer" but in reality Eddie Fatu was a gifted athlete with amazing agility and quickness for a 300+ pounder who was one of the most sensitive and likable athletes that I have had the honor of being around in the past 35 years.

We have updated the Q&A section of the site and invite you to check it out.

We're still getting lots of positive feedback on the WWE 24/7 On Demand presentation of the "Lost Art of Managing" which will essentially manifest itself on "The Ultimate Fighter" next season when rivals Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz will coach their respective teams. This is roughly the equivalent of "managing" and one will be able to see how much a talented mouthpiece who means something can contribute to the development of an athlete's persona. Got a feeling that there will be a record number of bleeps on the new season's show. Nonethless a smart, strategic move by UFC.

Happy Birthday to Nick Bockwinkel who turns 75 on Sunday. Nick is a WWE HOF'er and one of the greatest stars ever in the Verne Gagne owned AWA. I've always thought that Nick was underrated by a generation or two of fans who never saw Nick compete that much. Nick has always been very articulate, classy and "buttoned down." Nick's former manager, the incredible Bobby "The Brain" used to comically refer to Nick as "Jim Barnette on steroids" which only the Brain could have come up with. The highly intelligent and well spoken Nick and his lovely wife live in Las Vegas where Nick often hits the links and works on his golf game. Some might not know it but Nick Bockwinkel earned a football scholarship to Oklahoma University in the 50's and played a year or so for the legendary coach Bud Wilkinson. Young wannabe wrestlers, if they can break themselves away long enough from their video games, would be well served to study some of Nick's work as he was a excellent in-ring psychologist who elevated his craft to an art form.

Apparently, the #1 contender for the WWE Title Sheamus is getting a strong reaction on the road while the days are being counted down until the TLC PPV where the young Irish lad challenges John Cena for the WWE Title in a Tables Match. Getting to and staying put at the next level is not an overnight process and takes time. How much time? Good question. It depends on the talent and said talent's presentation and tools with which to work.

Wrestling organizations are not unlike any successful sports franchise or even a movie studio inasmuch as building their companies with talented youth along with the proper positioning of veteran star power around aforementioned youth will always be the best route to take.

We are anxious to take your orders in our on line store as the holiday season grows near. Take advantage of FREE SHIPPING and some affordable packages and products.

Amazing day of college football Saturday including Nebraska barely missing the upset of Texas in the Big 12 Title game in Dallas. Alabama was my pick, as I wrote here in the SEC Title game, and the Crimson Tide looked impressive in dispatching the emotional Tim Tebow and his Florida Gators. I had a lucky weekend going 2-0 on my college football picks on OKC's Fox 25 TV.

Heard from Steve Austin this week and had to give him a football update as Steve and crew are really working hard trying to finish his current film in the cold, outdoor environment of Vancouver by Christmas. Apparently, this film is particularly physically demanding and has a provocative, action adventure plot.

Please keep Eddie "Umaga" Fatu's family in your prayers.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.